Sock drier



p s, 1947. H. G. KERBAWY I R. 22,862

SOGK DRIER Original Filed Jan. 20, 1945 I INVENTOR. fi alra C en5apryReissued Apr. 8, 1947 SOCK DRIER Haford G. Kerbawy, Blissfield. Mich.,assignor to Alexander G. Kerby, Cleveland, Ohio Original No. 2,400.203,dated May 14, 1946, Serial No. 573,784, January 20, 1945. Applicationfor reissue January 9, 1947, Serial No. 121,000

8 Claims.

This invention relates to devices commonly known in the trade assock-driers, that is devices tosupport laundered socks. stockings or thelike while drying, to cause them to dry with normal shape and obviatethe necessity of ironing them, and to prevent shrinkage.

Sock driers for this general purpose have been proposed heretofore and apopular construction comprises a form made of wood, to be inserted intothe wet laundered sock, and hun up to dry. There are obvious objectionsto wood as a material for this purpose, among which are itsmoisture-absorbent property, and the difiiculty of keeping it clean andsanitary; and its liability to crack and split due to repeated wettingand drying in use. It has also been proposed to make sock driers frommetal, but metal is an unsatisfactory material for the purpose becauseof its weight and its liability to oxidize in the presence of moistureand stain the sock; and because of the cost of fabricating the metalinto the desired form and of rendering it perfectly smooth so as not tosnag the threads of the sock.

The introduction of plastic materials in the various arts has led to itsconsideration as a suitable material for sock driers but so far as I amaware it has heretofore been impossible to make a sock drier from aplastic because of certain requirements of the finished article andbecause of certain difficulties in its manufacture.

A sock drier for operative purposes must have a. perfectly smooth,rounded, edge contour of the general form of a flattened sock; and mustbe of considerable overall length from toe to top, approximately 26inches for full length socks; and at the same time must be in generalflat or planar and only about 1 inch to A; inch.

thick; and it must be possible to manufacture it cheaply; so that if itis to be made from a plastic, the only practicable process is that bywhich the plastic is injected into a mold; but to inject plastic intoall parts of such a thin and long mold introduces practicaldifliculties.

Also, a plastic sock drier made by the injectionmold process mustcontain the minimum of plastic material for the sake of cheapness, andthis and other requirements point to the necessity of an open-work orperforated type of drier; but it has been found that a plastic sockdrier of this type (comprising as it must an open framework having asmooth edge portion of sock contour all around its periphery), when madeby theinjection-mold process, will permanently twist andwarp out of aplane when taken from the mold, due to strains set up in it which cannotbe prevented.

It follows that before amolded plastic sock drier can be made which willbe acceptable to the trade, something must be done to overcome andprevent this twisting, and warping; and so far as I am aware this hasnot been heretofore accomplished.

Accordingly it is among the objects of the present invention:

To provide generally an improved device of the sock drier class; v

To provide an open-work or perforated sock drier made from plasticmaterial by the injection-mold process which has a smooth peripheraledge of the size and contour of a flat sock, and which peripheral edgelies flat or in a single plane;

To provide an open work or perforated planar sock drier made fromplastic by the injectionmold process, and constructed to counteract andprevent its tendency to warp or twist out of a plane due to internalstrains set up in the material by the process.

Other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art to which myinvention appertains.

The invention is fully disclosed in the following description taken inconnection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a sock drier for full length socksembodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is an edge orside elevational view, taken in the direction of thearrow 2 of Fig. 1;

Figs. 3 and 4 are sectional views taken respectively from the planes 33and 4-4 of Fig. 1;

Figs. 5, 6, and 7 are diagrammatic views illustrating other'forms ormodifications of certain structural features of the embodiment of Fig 1.

In Figs. 1 and 2, I have shown the preferred embodiment of theinvention. It will be seen to comprise a peripheral or contourelement lto be inserted into and fit a flattened sock to -be dried, and whichcorrespondingly has opposite top portions 22 for the top of the sock, opposite legportions 3-3 for the leg proper, an ankle portion 4 opposite aheel portion 5, opposite foot portions 66,-a'nd a toe'portion I.

At generally the middle of the device is a circular. tie element 8integrally joined to the ankle portion 4 at a. point 9, and integrallyjoined to the heel portion at spaced points I0 and II. Joining the twoopposite top portions 22 at their upper terminations is an end element[2. One of the top. portions, 2, continues above the 3 device as at l3in the form of a hook by which the device may be su ported.

A pair of crossed tie elements I4 and I5, integrally joined together at[B where they intersect, are provided in the upper part of the device,and integral y joined at spaced points I I and I8 to what may be calledthe front of the con-,

tour element I. and integrally joined at spaced points I9 and 20 to therear of the contour element I; and in general the foot portion of thedevice is a pair of crossed tie elements 2| and 22, integrally joined at23 where they cross each other, and integrally joined at spaced point 24and 25 to the front, and at spaced points 26 and 21 to the rear, of thecontour element I.

The contour element l, the circulartie element 8, the crossed tieelements l4 and I5, the crossed tie elements 2| and 22, the end elementl2, and the hook element I3, are all preferably of circular crosssection as is indicated in Fig. 4 for some oi the parts.- All of theparts abovementioned are disposed substantially in a plane as isindisate by As mentioned above. the entire device is made by injectingplastic material under pressureinto metal mold .bywell'known processes;and it has been foundthat for a device such as that illustrated in Fig.1 and Fig. 2 and measuring. say 26 inches between the upper and lowerextreme ends, and with the cross section of the elements thereofapproximately one quarter inch in diameter, the entire device may bemade in one piece by injecting plastiointo the mold at two points on thecircular elementa, for example at the points, 2a end m- The end elementl2v may have inwardly thereof andintegralwith the topelements 2?2, a;thinfin or web 30, upon which a label, patent number, or other. indiciamay. conveniently beapplied,

As men ion d .herei b-eforo nd as wil oreforrod o a e ini o iom o d pSticmaterial has qualities andproperties. which render it ad-.vantageous and superior toother materialsvfor, a device of this class;but as is W61 Known, such material andthe practice of the,injection-mold p ces s xn i aan in rder tomak ch a device practicableandkeep its cost, of production down to a, where, its, selling price willbe acceptable tothe trade, the amount of the n a ma e ial must be ptdown, to t e m nimum. Th swould u g s tha ll'that w ul b o ssarr in uch.a d v oow uld e a on e nt I havin e. oo oaho an e. r a d. oer ionsreierrd to, abov a d of utwardly rounded iorm; hutsuch a contour element alonewhen taken from the mold would not, retain the contgur shape of its.mold, due to internal strains within the material, as app icant hasfound.

I twould' appear to be a simple matter, furthermore, to compel thecontour element to retain its sock-like. molded, contour form, becausethis could obviously be accomplished by tying opposite parts of thecontour elementtogether bytransversestructural elementsybut; as I* havefound, if merely this weredone, without regard tothe arrangement of;such tie elements, or with any obvious arrangement, then; the strainswhich would still be in: the contour element would cause the contourelement as a Whole to twist, or bend, or-twi'st -and; bend, out of itsplane when taken from the mold.

Aiiter numerousexperiments, I have found that this-twisting andbendingorwarping can be prevented ii the forward and rearward parts of. thecontour element be tied together byv transverse 4 tie elements involvinga certain structural principle which is embodied in Fig. l and whichwill now be explained.

The said tie elements which I employ for this purpose in the particularembodiment of Fig. 1, are the elements I4 and I5, the element 8, and theelements 2| and 22.

It will be observed that the element I4 and I5 provide a tying action intwo diagonal directions, the diagonal element I4 efiecting a tyingaction between the points IB and 20 on the forward and rearward partsof' the contour element I in one diagonal direction, and the diagonaltie element I5 providing a tying action between the points I! and I9, inanother diagonal direction; and the points I9 and 20 being spaced apartas are the other points I! and 18.

Similarly, the diagonal tie element 2| connecting the points 24 and 2Bis at a different diagonal direction from the tie element 22 connectingthe. points 25; and 21, andthe points. 24 and. 25 beingspaceda artas arethe point zfi andl'l.

The circ lar tie elemontfl ties. t f a d and. rearward parts. of the.contour element I to ether, at. three p-oi.n .,the point 9 th fo wa dp tand the two points I!) anc i II on the rearward part; the three points9, Ill, and I I. defining a. triangle.

The structural principle therefore which prevents the twisting andbending and warping of, the contour element, comprises ties whichprovidea tying action in two difierent diagonal directions in the upper part ofthe device,.twoties providing a tying action in two diagonal directionsin the lower part of the device, and a triangular tie at the center ofthe device.

The said arrangement ofthe tie elements therefore does two things: itprevents the contour element from warping out 'of the preselectedsocklike contour shape/given to it by the mold; and they prevent thecontour element as'a whole from warping or twisting or bending'out of aplane.

Thearrangement of these tie elements'shown in Fig. 1 is thepreferredform because of the symmetrical and balanced design which itgives to the device, butthe same structural principle may be embodied inother arrangements of tie elements, some of which are shown in Figs. 5,6, and 7?, where the tie elements and the contour element arerepresented diagrammatically by singlelines.

In the diagrammatic form oi Fig; 5 for example,the,.ti e members;3I.32.- in the upper part ofgthe; device are curvilinear, intersectingand integrall joined at 33, and .correspond to. the tie members I4 andI5 ofithe form of Fig. 1; and theytyingi effects thereof and the actionof preventing said twisting and warping is efiected generally in twodiagonal directions, although the diagonal lines of action are notthemselves recti-- linear.

Similarly, in the foot- .portion, the tie elements 3.4.: and 35,.diagonal. in two directions, arev curvilinear, intersecting and integralat- 36. In this f0rm,:Fig. 5', the circularti'emember f Fig. 1 is:retained.

In thaform; cf-'-Fig'. 6; the tie member betweerr he: ankle, and heelportions; 4+5, comprises three? rectilinear elements 31,138; and 39,connecting the: points 9, II), and II referred to-in connection. withFig. 1; and. a, triangle is thus. substituted, for the circle, 8 of.Fig. 1,.and' providesthe same. antr twistin'g andwarping: principle asthe circle; of Fig.1; but the appearanceisdifferent. Also; n this. Fig.16, rectilinear tying. elements,- 41k to; 4-3.:-

inclusive are provided in the upper part, the elements 40 and 4| beingin one diagonal direction, and the elements 42 and 43 in anotherdiagonal direction; and, in the foot portion, diagonal elements 44 and45 in one direction and 46 and 41 in another direction are provided.These elements perform the tying function and rinciple of theintersecting diagonal elements of Fig. 1.

In the form of Fig. '7, two diagonal elements 48 and 49 in the legportion at different diagonal directions, and two diagonal elements 50and 5! in the foot portion in two diagonal directions are provided, butnot intersecting as are the corresponding pairs of diagonal elements inthe form of Fig. 1; and at the ankle and heel portions, only two tieelements 52 and 53 are provided connecting the heel points l and l Iwith the ankle point 9. The tie element arrangement of this figureprobably utilizes the very minimum of plastic material by which theanti-warping and twisting results can be obtained for a full length sockdrier.

From the foregoing it will now be apparent that the tying means forproviding the tying action in two diagonal directions may have variousforms and the material of the tying means ma be variously disposed. Twogeneral forms have been illustrated and described as exemplified byFigs. 6 and 7 wherein the tying means comprises separate linear tyingelements, and as exemplified in Figs. 1 and 5, wherein the tying meansis of a more unitary character. Other forms will occur to those skilledin the art.

When the invention is to be practiced with shorter or ankle-lengthsocks, the leg portions 33 of the drawing, may be made shorter, forfurther economy of material, expense of molds, etc., and the leg portionof the device will then be so short that there will be little or notendency for it to bend or Warp out of a plane; and accordingly the tieelements I4-l5 of Fig. 1 between the leg portions 3-3 (and thecorresponding tie elements in the modifications of Figs. to 6) may beomitted.

It is believed that this will be apparent without further illustrationor description.

From the foregoing it is believed to be apparent that the invention ispredicated upon the desirability of utilizing plastic material, moldablein a die or mold, for a device of this class, because it can be moldedand come out of the mold with all surfaces thereof smooth, and becauseit will be moisture-proof, non-corrosive, light in weight, of pleasingappearance, and cheap to manufacture in quantities; but that because ofthe shape that the peripheral contour of such a device must have, andbecause of the fact that expense prohibits making it with plasticmaterial filling solidly the space within the peripheral contour, theonly practicable and salable plastic device is one in which a linearperipheral contour element is provided braced by transverse tieelements, but it is a concurrent fact that if transverse tie elementsare merely provided of some obvious arrangement, then the saidadvantages of plastic material for the device cannot be enjoyed becauseof the peculiar fact that in molding the device internal strains are setup in the material, so that when it is taken from the mold it warps andtwists out of a plane. It is essential therefore that this twisting andwarping must be prevented, but to prevent it by tying together oppositeportions of the contour element by tie elements, such tie elements mustbe provided and disposed so as to exert the maximum anti-warping andtwisting reactions with the minimum of material. By analysis andnumerous experiments, I believe that I have found the solution to thisproblem in tie elements having the structural principles set forth aboveand as expressed in the appended claims.

The extreme outer surface of the peripheral element I, is preferablyrounded to avoid having the sock dry with longitudinal creases, and thisis preferably accomplished by making it of circular cross-section; but arounded exterior can be had with other cross-sectional forms as will beapparent.

The invention has been illustrated and described above in a preferredembodiment, and in several modifications thereof; but the invention iscomprehensive of all changes in and modifications of these illustratedand described forms, which come within the scope of the appended claims.l

I claim:

1. A sock drier device comprising an outer peripheral element having theshape and size of the interior of a flattened sock; the peripheralelement having oppositely spaced leg portions, oppositely spaced footportions, and oppositely spaced heel and ankle portions; tie elementstying the leg portions together and extending in two diagonal directionstherebetween; the elements tying the foot portions together andextending in two diagonal directions therebetween; and tie elementstying the heel and ankle portions together; the tie elements and theperipheral ele ment being integrally united, and formed in a singlepiece from molded plastic material, and all lying in substantially aplane.

2. A sock drier device comprising an outer peripheral element having theshape and size of the interior of a flattened sock; the peripheralelement having oppositely spaced leg portions, oppositely spaced footportions, and oppositely spaced heel and ankle portions; tie elementstying the leg portions together and extending in two diagonal directionstherebetween; tie elements tying the foot portions together andextending in two diagonal directions therebetween; and tie elementstying two spaced points, of the heel portion to the ankle portion; thetie elements and the peripheral element being integrally united, andformed in a single piece from molded plastic material, and all lying insubstantially a plane.

3. A sock drier device comprising an outer peripheral element having theshape andsize of the interior of a flattened sock; the peripheralelement having oppositely spaced leg portions, oppositely spaced footportions, and oppositely spaced heel and ankle portions; tie elementstying the leg portions together and extending in two diagonal directionstherebetween; tie elements tying the foot portions together andextending in two diagonal directions therebetween; and tie elementstying two spaced points of the heel portion to a single point of theankle portion; the tie elements and the peripheral element beingintegrally united, and formed in a single piece from molded plasticmaterial, and all lying in substantially a plane.

4. A sock drier device comprising an outer peripheral element having theshape and size of the interior of a flattened sock; the peripheralelement having oppositely spaced leg portions, oppositely spaced footportions, and oppositely spaced heel and ankle portions; tie elementstying the leg portions together and extending in two dlag'crial'direc'tions therebetween; tie-ele' ments' tying the foot portionstogether and ex tending-in" two diagonal directions therebetween; andtie elements tying two spaced points of the heel portion together andtying each 'of the points of the heel portion to the ankle portion; thetie elements and the peripheral element being integr'ally united, andformedin a single piece from molded plastic material,- and all lying insubstantially a plane.

5. A sock drier device comprising an outer peripheral element having theshape and size of the interior of a flattened sock; the peripheralelement'having oppositely spaced front and rear leg portions; oppositelyspaced front and rear foot portions; and oppositely spaced heel andanklepbrti'ons'; ti'e'elements tying the leg portions together andextending in two generally diagonal directions therebetween; tieelements tying. the foot portions together and extending in twogenerally diagonal directions therebetween; and a tie element tying theheel and ankle portions together;"the ti elements and the peripheraleleme'nt being formed from molded plastic material, and constituting asingle integral piece.

6. A sock drier device comprising an outer peripheral element having theshape of the interior'of a flattened sock; the peripheral element havingspaced-apart, elongated, front and rear portions; tie means tying thefront and rear portions together and formed to provide tying 8 action intwo diagonal directions; thetie means and the peripheral element beingformed from molded plastic material and constituting an in-- teg'ralpiece and lying substantially in a plane.

'7. A s'o'ck drier device comprising an outer peripheral element havingthe shape of the in te'rior of a flattened sock; the peripheralelementhaving spaced-apart, elongated, front and rear portions; aplurality of tie means spaced apart longitudinally along the device; theseveral means tying the front and rear portions'together and formed anddisposed to provide tying action in two diagonal directions; the tiemeans and the peripheral element being formed from molded plasticmaterial and constituting an integral piece, and lying'substantially ina plane.

8. A sock drier device comprising an outer peripheral element havingtheshape of the-interior of'afiatten'ed seek; the peripheral elei'nenthaving spaced 'apart', elongated, front and rear portions; tie meanstying the front and rear portions together; the tie means and theperipheral element being formed from molded plastic materialandc'onstituting an integral piece and lying: substantially in a plane;and the material of the tying means being disposed to provide tying ac-'tion between points on the front and rear portions in'one diagonaldirection; "and to provide tying action between points on the front andrear portions in another diagonal direction HA'FORD'G. KERBAWYl

